Israel, who originally faced a charge of first-degree murder, was convicted by a Kenai jury Dec. 8 of second-degree murder in the Jan. 29, 2005, killing of Dorothy Israel.

During an eight-day trial, the jury listened to attorneys debate over what might have been going through Adam Israel’s mind on the day he used a kitchen knife to stab his mother and then call an ambulance to their residence at 167 Little Ave.

Emergency dispatch and Alaska State Trooper recordings capturing what happened in the minutes that followed the stabbing were played to the jurors.

Kenai District Attorney June Stein characterized Adam as controlling, and argued that he intentionally killed his mother.

Public Defender Marvin Hamilton told jurors Adam had been battling internal demons and intended on killing himself rather than his mother.

Although jurors found him guilty of second-degree murder, Hamilton said he did not think they had done so because they thought Adam had intentionally killed his mother.

Hamilton said he thought the jury had reached their verdict because while jurors must find an intent to kill in order to find a defendant guilty of first-degree murder, intent to kill can be used, but is not necessary, to find a defendant guilty of second-degree murder.

In Alaska, a person is guilty of second-degree murder if he or she intentionally kills the victim or knew his or her conduct was substantially certain to cause death or serious physical injury.

The jury returned its verdict of the lesser charge after deliberating 10 hours.

Phil Hermanek can be reached at phillip.hermanek@peninsulaclarion.com.